Variable sound-conveyer or horn for talking-machines or the like



G. W. BEADLE.

VARIABLE SOUND CONVEYER 0R HORN FOR TALKING MACHINES OR THE LIKE,

APPLICATION FILED NOV 21.19IZ.

jlfifigfll Q Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEEI I.

e.-vv. BEADLE VARIABLE SOUND CONVEYER 0R HORN FOR TALKING MACHINES ORTHE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 19W.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

G. W. BEADLE.

VARIABLE SOUND CONVEYER 0R HORN FOR TALKING MACHINES OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2I I917.

Patented Dec. 21., I920.

b SHEETS-SHEEI 3.

I nuanfoz G. W. BEADLE VARIABLE SOUND CONVEYER OR HORN FOR TALKINGMACHINES OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1917.

1,86%91 9,, v Patented Dec. 2L 119%..

5 SHEETS-SHEEI 4v al fozne q S .G. w. BEADLE.

VARIABLE SOUND CONVEYER 0R HORN FOR TALKING MACHINES OR THE LIKE.

Ld@2,919n

APPLICATION FILED NOV-21,1917.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

5 SHEETSSHEET 5' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. BEADLE, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGN OR, BY MESI\TEASSIGN- MENTS, TO COLUMBIA GRAPHOPHONE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF BRIDGE-PORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

VARIABLE SOUND-CONVEYER OR HORN FOR TALKING-MACHINES OR THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, 1920.

Application filed. November 21, 1917. Serial No. 203,120.

' tion is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention is intended primarily for talking-machines of theconcealed-horn type, but may be employed with other talking-machines,and indeed as a sound-conveyer for other purposes.

It is an object of the invention to provide a variable horn,-that is, ahorn whose discharge area and inclosed space can be varied at will. Thisobject is accomplished by providing means for varying the geometricalvolume of the born from its discharge end toward its sound-receivingend. The construction preferably, though not necessarily, includes ahorn that is substantially rectangular in cross-section, with twoopposite sides stationary and the other two sides mounted movably, as bybeing hinged at their rear ends; and, preferably, the two stationarywalls flare outwardly, while the movable walls are of a similar flare inshape.

The invention also comprises means for swinging the movable walls intothe different desired adjustments, preferably simultaneously, forcontracting or expanding the mouth of the horn; means for hinging the.

movable walls slidingly, so that their front edges can be movedrectilinearly; means for producing a snug fit against the stationarywalls in the different positions of the movable walls; and, wheninstalled into a talking-machine cabinet, means for concealing the openspaces at the rear or outside of the movable walls.

The invention likewise comprises the combinations of some or all of theforegoing features, and also the additional features hereinafter recitedin the appended claims.

The invention is susceptible of expression in various physicalembodiments, but will be best understood by the following descriptionwhich, with the accompanying drawings, sets forth a preferred embodimentof the invention installed in the cabinet of a throat 12, whose wall isextended to drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective of a machine containlng the invention, showingthe partlyexpanded mouth of the horn.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section, from front to rear, throughFig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section through the same, but showingthe horn with its mouth completely contracted.

Fig. 4 shows an elevation of the outer side or rear of one of the twoadjustable sidewalls of the horn, and a perspective of the adjacentflexible shield for concealing the exterior opening.

Fig. 5 is a perspective of an anchorage I for the actuating-cable.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of a detail, showing the connectlonbetween the outer edge of one of the adjustable side-walls and theadjacent actuating-means.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary horizontal section, indicating, by broken lines,different positions of the adjustable side-walls.

Referring to the drawings, in the lower part of the cabinet 1 may be theusual storagespace 2. 3 is the upper platform or deck, beneath which islocated the motor (not shown), whose upright main shaft 4. .protrudesthrough said deck, and carries the turntable 5, for a disk record 6. Thetone arm 7 carries at its outer end the sound-box 8, and at its innerend is swiveled (to pivot vertically) upon the elbow. 9, which latter isswiveled upon the ferrule 10 (to permit the tone-arm to swinghorizontally across the face of the record-disk). The ferrule 10connects the tone-arm with the soundconveying elbow 11, from whose lowermember extends the horizontal outwardly-flaring ugiwardly-flaring upperthe cabinet to constitute the stationary'roof 13 ofvthe horn; while itslower wall is similarly extended downward to constitute the stationaryfloor 14. of the horn. The two side-walls of the throat divergeforwardly,

- and are extended, as at 15;.fand, if desired,

they may even'extend all the way to the front of the cabinet. All theforegoing is a well-known structure.

If desired, the rectangular space between h l concealed-horntalking-machine. In these or near) the front of the front edges of theroof and floor restitute the horn.

spectively may be partly or entirely con- 'cealed, as by a stationarygrid or fabric or by a series of pivoted shutters; but, in the tensions15. Preferably these two movable side-walls are so connected togetherthat they,can be moved simultaneously, but in opposite directions,whereby they can be simultaneously swung together or swung apart (tocontract or enlarge the mouth of the horn).

Preferably these movable side-walls are so hinged as to belongitudinally slidable, in

- order -to.,permit their front edges being moved in rectilineardirection, and to ac commodate themselves to the varying height of thevertical space occupied in their different positionsof adjustment. Inthe preferred form, this slidable hinging consists of a strap-hinge, oneof whose members 18 is rigidly secured to the rear face of theside-wall, while the other hinge-member is slidably connected to theextension 15, as

' by a single headed-screw 19 passed through the slot 20. By thisarrangement, the front edge of each side-wall can be moved recti-llinearly across the front of the cabinet,while the pivot-pintle 21slides in and out, as indicated by broken lines in Fig. 7 (instead ofsaid front edge traveling on the arc of a circle, with a fixed pivot).

Preferably, means are provided for producing a snug fit between theupper and lower edges of-the movable side-walls and the fioor,and roofofthe horn. In the particularstructure shown, this consists of avertically-slidable plate 22, located in a 1011- gitudinal rabbet in therear of the upper portion of the side-wall, the outer end of said platebeing preferably pivoted -to the front upper corner of the side-wall, asby a pivot.23, while a spring 24 tends to elevate the rear end of saidslide. The upright strip 25 may be secured to the rear of the side-wall,to guide the rear end of this slideplate in vertical alinement..

If it be desired to actuate the two sidewalls simultaneously, aconvenient arrange- "ment for that purpose comprises the two pulleys26-26, mounted on vertical axes at opposite sides of the cabinet,preferably near the top. of the rectangular opening.

An endless cable passes around these two pulleys, its two memberscrossing over as indicated in Fig. 3; and one cable-1I @mber 27 issuitably secured to the front of the movable side-wall 16, while theother member 27 is similarly secured to the other movable side-wall 17.Any suitable device or handle, as 28, can then be employed for swingingeither onerof said walls (or for moving the cable), whereupon the twosidewalls will swing simultaneously toward or away from each other, tocontract or expand the mouth of the horn.

Preferably, suitable means will be provided for concealing the openspaces at the outer sides or rear of the two movable sidewalls whenpartly (or completely) contracted. In 'the particular form shown, a partof said concealing-means constitutes likewise a part of the means foractuating the side-walls. More specifically, said convcealing-meanscomprises two flexible shields,

one on either side of the mouth of the horn (as defined by thepositions'then occupied by its movable walls 169-17 consisting of aseries of vertical splints mounted upon cloth (like the roll-top of adesk),'with suitable upper and lower runways located rectilinearlyacross the front of the cabinet and extending back behind the rear ofthe sidewalls of the cabinet. y Each of the two ad jacent forwardshield-members 29 and 30 is connected loosely to the front edge of theirrespective movable side-wall. The particular .connection shown comprises(see Fig. 6) a V-nosed projection 31 secured rigidly to the front ofeach side-wall, and extending into a somewhat more obtuse V-seat in orcarried by the member 29 (30), where it is yieldingly secured, as by acoiled spring 32, whose two ends are secured respectively to the member29 (30) and to the nose 31.

The mechanical actuation is obvious. For instance, by moving handle 28to the right (of Fig. 3), this movement'directly swings side-wall 16 tothe right, and simultaneously draws cable-member 27 in the samedirection; this latter simultaneously draws the other cable-member 27'and the other. sidewall 17 to the left, thereby symmetrically expandingthe mouth, of the horn,- while simultaneously the two flexible shieldsare retracted into their race-ways. Of course the mouth of the horncould thereafter be contracted by moving the handle 28 in the oppositedirection.

The acoustical advantages of the variable horn will also be readilyappreciated. By

contracting its mouth suitably, the horn becomes better adapted forplaying softer tones; and by expanding its mouth, for louder tones. And,in contracting its mouth,

the converging side-walls do not act to choke the sound-waves or produceobjectionable reflexes or echoes. The variations in the shape of thehorn, and in the size of its mouth,

modulate the sounds emitted therefrom,

without impairing their quality,

It will be understood that the foregoing detailed description disclosesmerely a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that the inventionis not limited to the precise construction and arrangement heredisclosed, but might be embodied in various orms; and parts of theinvention can be inverted or transposed with other parts, or evenomitted, and modifications in the struc ture and arrangement could beemployed, all within the spirit of the invention.

The invention having been thus described in detail, what is claimed is:

1. The combination -of a talking-machine cabinet having an opening atits front, a sound-conveyer or horn located in. said cabinet anddischarging toward said opening, said horn being substantiallyrectangular in cross section and having two opposite walls stationaryand diverging, the other two hornwalls being of similarly-flared shapebut hinged attheir inner ends, and means movable with each hinged wallfor concealing any space between the forward edge of said wall and theadjacent side of said opening.

2. A cabinet having an opening at its front, a variable hornlocatedtherein and presenting its mouth toward said opening, said hornconsisting of two opposlte stationary walls and two walls hinged attheir inner edges, and means for concealing any space between theforward edge of each hinged wall and the adjacent side of said opening.4

3. 'A sound-conveyer or horn substantially rectangular in cross-section,having two opposite'and diverging stationary walls, and havin ingl'yaredshape and slidingly hinged at their inner edges, in combination withmeans for moving the outer edges of said hinged walls in rectilineardirection, and means for producing a snug fit with the stationary wallsin the difi'erent positions of adjustment. 7

4. A sound-conveyer or horn substantially rectangular in cross-section,having two opposite and diverging stationary walls, and having the othertwo walls of correspondingly-flared shape and slidingly hinged at theirinner edges, in combination with means for moving the outer edges ofsaid movable walls in rectilinear path.

5. A sound-conveyer consisting of a rectangular horizontally-openingthroat and a horn substantially rectangular in crosssection, having twoopposite stationary walls as continuations of t e corresponding walls ofsaid throat and the other two walls hinged the-Jother two walls ofcorrespond respectively at their inner ends to the corresponding wallsof said throat, in combination with means for simultaneously moving theouter edges of said hinged walls toward or away from each other.

6. A sound-conveyer consisting of a rectangular horizontally-openingthroat and a horn substantially rectan lar in cross-section, having twoopposite sides stationary and divergent as continuations of thecorresponding walls of said throat, and having its other two sides ofcorrespondingly-flared shape and hinged respectively at their inner endsto the corresponding walls of said throat.

7 A sound-conveyer or horn substantially rectangular in cross-section,and having two opposite sides stationary and divergent, and having theother two sides of correspondingly-flared shape and hinged at theirinner edges so that their outer edges are movable.

8. The combination in a talking machine cabinet having an opening in oneof its walls, a sound conveyer located in said cabinet and dischargingtoward said opening, a slidable closure member for said opening, andmeans comprising a portion of the sound conveyer wall connected to saidclosure member for varyin the cross sectional area of the conveyerdischarge as the closure member is moved. 9. The combination in atalking machine cabinet having an opening in one of its walls, a soundconveyer located therein and discharging toward said opening, of meansnormally closing the cabinet opening and adjustable to Vary ,the area ofsaid opening, and means operable by said means for varying thegeometrical volume of said conveyor.

10. The combination in a talking machine cabinet having an opening inone of its walls, a sound conveyer located in said cabinet anddischarging toward said opening, a pair of slidable doors for saidopening, and means connected to the adjacent door edges for varying the,geometrical volume of. the conveyer as the doors are moved.

11. A sound conveyer comprising a conduit having at one end an openingfor receiving sound and having a discharge, the area of which isvariable by means of slidable mechanism, and means for varying the-crosssectional area of said conduit from said discharge toward thesound-receiving end as the discharge area is varied by the movement.

of the said slidable mechanism.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification. A f

GEQRGE W. BEADLE,

